


Sink or Swim

by FanFictionEngineer



Series: Gaalee Bingo 2020 [6]
Category: Naruto
Genre: First Kiss, Gaalee 2020 bingo, Gaara cant swim, Gaara is thristy for shirtless Lee, Lee is thirsty for shirtless Gaara too, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:53:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26881747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanFictionEngineer/pseuds/FanFictionEngineer
Summary: The water in the desert is precious and considered the liquid gold for the people of Sunagakure. To waste it to learn how to swim was stupid so most sand shinobi never learned. So when Lee offers to teach Gaara how to swim when on a mission when there is water to spare, Gaara accepts.Gaalee 2020 BingoGreen Card 1 - BEACH DAY
Relationships: Gaara/Rock Lee
Series: Gaalee Bingo 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948663
Comments: 4
Kudos: 57
Collections: GaaLee Bingo





	Sink or Swim

**Author's Note:**

> Considering that Gaara and his siblings live in the desert, it doesn't seem like they have much of the opportunity to swim. For Gaara with his sand armor, he would be most likely drown because of the weight of the sand, and afterward, cause he sure as shit can't swim. So Lee, being the good egg, offers to teach him. (Plus It also doesn't help that Lee's body makes Gaara swoon). 
> 
> I took the day off yesterday cause I was feeling burnt out from work. I had just done 5 days in a row and it was my brother's birthday so I decided to take it easy. I hope to continue post one fic a day until I finish the first bingo card but we will have to see what happens. And on another note, I seriously wish I could write shorter pieces ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. All spelling and tense errors are my own.

The air smelled strongly of salt that Gaara could make the mistake he was in one of Sunagakure’s salt mines. But the ocean, as blue and as wide as the sky that it merged at the distant horizon, gently lapping at the sand of the beach told a different story.

Gaara watched from under the shade of the umbrella, sitting on an obnoxious frog-themed towel, as his friends play near or in the water. He watched as Kiba screech as he was picked up in Lee’s arms and the two fell backward into the water. Unease crawled over his skin like ants when he didn’t see them reappear for several seconds but when Kiba popped up, gasping for breath and Lee whooping for joy, did he relax.

Gaara skimmed his eyes over to the piles of large cut stones that laid not too far away. Since he had gotten here, they had made much progress in cleaning and preparing to repair the multiple barriers used to protect the beach from the seasonal storm flooding. Gaara turn his view back to his friends and was in time to see Lee come out of the bay, the trickling water going over Lee’s abs and firm muscles.

Gaara swallowed hard as he turned away. If only the tide could go down so that they continue working. He didn’t know how many times seeing Lee is a swimsuit his blood pressure could take. Gaara muttered an old Suna curse under his breath towards Hokage Kakashi and wondered if he and his siblings had plotted this to try and “help” his relationship with Lee.

One week ago, he had gotten a hawk with a unique request asking for his expertise from the Hokage of Konohagakure, Kakashi Hatake; to make a complete recovery and building plan for new sand/stone barriers. Part of the southern coast in the Land of Fire had been bombarded with late seasonal storms. As a result, there had been flooding that went far inland due to failure of the barriers.

The water level had receded but there had been severe damage done to the surrounding forests and two of the small coastal shinobi ports. Due to the excess of water, many of the trees had become sick and waterlogged, leading to them being cut down. The coast ports were only to be partially rebuilt as the citizens had adapted their housing and businesses for flooding. The barriers had been written off and were to be redone from the rock bed up.

Gaara then spent the next three days working on his own paperwork as well as the report. But in the end, he had sent in three large scrolls via courier with all the information that he could pull. Two days later, he got a reply early that morning that basically could be summed up into one sentence: Too much work, not enough manpower. Come help out.

Gaara had stared at that response for longer than he should have. The Kages of the Hidden villages rarely left their villages unless it was an emergency or they were attending summits. For Gaara to leave Sunagakure to help rebuild part of Konoha’s trade route, even in these times of peace and alliances, would cause arguments from the Elder Council.

Apparently, Kakashi had thought the same thing as later that same evening, Rock Lee, of all shinobi was there. In hand, a strong request from the Hokage for aid, and in return, part of the coastal trade route would diverge to Sunagakure.

Because of its location in the desert, fresh produce would never last long or would spoil on trading caravans. As a result, some more of the delicate foods would have to be preserved or smoked in order to last. Having a possible trade route to bring more food (even if its dried fish) into the village, to aid his citizens wasn’t something that is easily passed over, the elder council complains be damned.

Kankuro had been unhappy about being shoved into the temporary role of Kazekage but Gaara reassured him it was only for two-three weeks and that Shijima, his assistant, would be able to help. Baki, their leader when they still been a genin squad, was also on the council and would help out where he could.

When Gaara was able to leave the village, Lee greeted him like he always did, formally with a large smile and a thumb’s up. When Lee had asked if he could carry Gaara to arrive to the coast faster, the feeling of surprise felt like a jolt that spread into heat. Gaara must have given a poor impression of hearing the news when Lee hastily added in order to rebuild the ports, the barriers had to be up first. The longer it took, the more it would drain on Konoha’s budget and the morale of the fishers.

Gaara nodded, the logic making sense but still feeling uneasy, as he gave Lee his gourd to carry on his back. It felt strange to give someone the gourd. Since he had been a child, he had been told the sand within contained the spirit of his mother, hence why he had carried so feverishly and fed her the blood of those he killed.

Even now, when he knew better, he still carried it and barely allowed anyone, outside of his siblings, to carry it. But Lee gave him a smile that seemed to reassure Gaara. Despite how loud Lee could be, he would be careful. What he didn’t expect was Lee to grab him and hoist him bridal style into his arms and take off like an air bullet. Gaara heard a cry of protest from his personal ANBU squad that was swept away in the floating sand.

The wind buffered his form as Lee flew over the sand, not all bothered by the weigh on his back and in his arms. Gaara griped Lee, his fingers digging into whatever he could get his hands on, as a single thought entered his mind: Lee must have taken off his weights to make time.

Gaara watched over Lee’s shoulder as Sunagakure became smaller and smaller until it disappeared over the horizon. Resting his head on Lee’s shoulder, he was able to feel the steady beating of Lee’s heart, the sound lulling Gaara into a relaxed state as the surroundings changed from desert to thick leafy green forests.

Lee was gently shaking him as Gaara blinked, his body feeling sluggish. The air smelled of water, salt, and stale air. They were standing in a large clearing that was littered with stumps, the evening sunlight turning the remaining brown bark black. Not too far off, was an encampment filled with Leaf shinobi. They had made it to the coast.

Lee gently righted Gaara so his feet would be on solid ground as he let go. The loss of warmth made Gaara shiver even after Lee gave him his gourd back. Lee took Gaara’s hand into his own and led him towards Shikamaru, who seemed to be heading the recovery team. He didn’t seem to surprise to see Gaara and Lee but he had raised an eyebrow at their intertwined fingers.

Shikamaru was going over the basics of what Gaara would do when he saw Kiba, of the Inuzuka Clan; wiggle his eyebrows at Lee who turned a tomato red. If Kiba had tripped on a root made of sand and landed face-first into mud after he had turned around, then Gaara was no the wiser.

He had to deal with Kankuro’s lewd comments about the ‘thing’ that was floating between him and Lee, he would rather not have to deal with it from others nor would he be as kind about it.

Shikamaru only looked amused and gave Gaara a small nod as Lee went over to help Kiba back to his feet, before proclaiming that they would start early the next morning when it was low tide so that work could be done.

He been shown to his tent, large enough for two but with only one bedroll inside with a table, all sitting on thick wood sheets to keep him out of the mud. Dinner had been served not too long after, rice with veggies and chicken, and everyone started to wind down for the night.

He had been surprised when Lee entered his tent after everyone had settled down for the night. He then sheepishly asked if he could rest with Gaara. His tent-mate was Kiba and his hound Akumaru, who Kiba refused to let sleep outside, and he had been kicked out as there wasn’t a lot of room.

Gaara had no qualms with Lee sleeping in his tent. Even after the One Tail extraction and the Fourth Ninja War, Gaara could still go period without sleeping, and having napped on the way, he felt refreshed.

Gaara sat cross legged on the floor of his tent as he watched Lee slip into the bedroll and fall asleep almost immediately. Having run to the coast, then back to Konoha then to Suna and then back to the coast, that would tax even Lee’s endurance.

Gaara felt a sense of peace as he watched Lee sleep, the quietness broken by Lee’s snoring and him exclaiming random sentences. Gaara felt a twitch of his lips after Lee had shouted, _“Let me twirl sensei, it’s my dream!”_ Only Lee would be as loud awake as he was asleep.

It was all too soon that Shikamaru was making rounds to wake everyone up as Gaara gently shook Lee who woke up with a start, his hair messy from his constant movement throughout the night. One of the stone workers that Gaara noted as a civilian looked shocked to see Lee exiting Gaara’s tent but quickly hurried on his way after a well-directed glare. 

After a quick breakfast and roll call, Gaara followed behind Lee as he led one team towards the port. They made their way through the clearing and when they passed through the entrance to the port, did Gaara let out a gasp. Sandstorms could ravage complete towns but the damage was always covered under feet of sand. Here, Gaara saw the damage, open and gaping like a wound.

Some of the sturdy buildings, such as the mayor's office, were still standing but houses and small markets had been flooded and washed out, sending products, personal belongings, and even entire buildings into the water. As they passed in hushed silence, Gaara couldn’t help but make the comparison to of the port that of a ghost town; eerie, silent, lifeless, broken. 

The first step was cleaning the lodged debris and pulling out the old barriers that laid in both parts of the bay and inland. They were used to break the larger waves coming in and to prevent the water from going too far inland. But they had failed due to age and lack of maintenance.

With Gaara’s sand manipulation, Lee’s strength, aid from several other shinobi and it being low tide, they were able to clean the debris found lying around on the sand as well as most of the barriers, as they really weren’t much to pull anyways. They were able to get to the solid bedrock foundation just as the tide began to rise.

They had been given a small lunch and were resting on the beach when Kiba and his hound stopped by, carrying several bags and an umbrella. It wasn’t until he saw Lee begin to strip in front of everyone did Gaara’s confusion turn to full-blown panic. Turning away, he felt blood rush to his face and saw Kiba give him what most likely equaled to, according to Temari, a shit-eating grin, wiggly eyebrows in full effect.

Gaara looked over to see everyone striping out of uniform and seeing that they had swimwear underneath. Gaara put a cool hand onto his face as he tried to slow his racing heart. Ah, so everyone was going swimming. That was better than what Gaara had originally thought was happening.

Kiba laid out a large frog printed towel on the ground and set the umbrella up before declaring, Gaara was the keeper, stripped in record time, and ran into the bay, Akumaru barking alongside him.

Gaara flopped back onto the towel. When this was all over, he was going to see if he could convince the next hawk to the Hokage to shit on his desk.

“Hey Gaara?” asked Lee, his wet head popping into view, dripping water down onto him. “Whoops, I am so sorry!”

“It’s all good,” Gaara muttered, rubbing the water off his face. He felt the sand beneath shift as Lee sat beside him, far enough so that he didn’t drip on him but close enough he could feel the heat coming off Lee’s body.

“You can go swimming if you want,” Lee said, turning to look at him. “I have a spare bathing suit. I can stay here to look after everyone’s stuff.”

Gaara frowned as he stared at the blue umbrella over him.

“I can’t swim,” Gaara finally said.

“Oh? Really, I never guessed,” Lee said before he immediately started blathering like he always did when he was nervous. “I didn’t mean it like that. I know those in Suna see water as important so you wouldn’t waste it like that. But still, you have traveled to some of the other villages so I assumed you eventually learned. I mean, Temari knows and-“

“I just never bothered learning,” Gaara said with a shrug. “I avoided water cause it made wearing the Sand Armour nearly impossible. Even now, when I am out of the village I am always working so I never have time to learn something as mundane as swimming.”

“Oh,” Lee muttered, deflating as a thoughtful look entered his eyes. Gaara looked over to see Lee regarding him as he was biting his lip. Gaara was about to ask him what was on his mind when Lee asked, “Would you like to learn? How to swim I mean.”

Gaara blinked as he used his elbows to push himself up so that he could look Lee in the eyes and asked, “You…want to teach me how to swim?”

Lee blushed and started fumbling over his words, “I mean, you don’t have to learn if you don’t want to! I just thought you would like to learn. You know, try it and see if you enjoy it. And I find it is a useful skill. You never know when someone might push you into the river. Not that anyone would do that, it’s a peaceful era but still-“

“I would love to,” Gaara blurted and amended himself. “I mean, I would appreciate it if you did. Teach me, I mean.”

Lee broke out into a huge grin, “Great I’ll get the bathing suit.”

Gaara's eyes widen and he grabbed Lee before he could stand up.

“Not now,” Gaara hissed, his eyes flickering over to where everyone seemed busy having fun. “Later”

“But Gaara,” Lee said slowly, his eyes searching for something. “Once the tide goes down we will be working late. If I were to teach you later, it will be dark and the water will be freezing.”

Gaara shifted on the sand as he pondered how to say “I don’t want to practice around others because I don’t trust them not to drag me under the water and because I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of you” without sounding childlike.

“…Do you feel uncomfortable with the Sand Armour around others?” Lee asked quietly, leaning forward so that Gaara could feel his breath against his cheek.

Gaara buried his hands into the towel as he looked away, tugging the corner of his mouth with one of his fangs to look shy; an acting trick he had learned from watching some of the younger kunoichi classes for beguiling men.

“Ah,” Lee sighed as he leaned back. “I understand, sorry if I was making you uncomfortable. If you want we can wait till later. There should be enough moonlight to see clearly.”

Gaara nodded as he let out a long breath out. He then sucked in the same breath when he felt Lee grab one of his hands and gave it a gentle squeeze before jumping to his feet and running back to the water. He was at the edge when he saw Lee’s muscle shift and _didn’t that do a funny thing to his insides_ as Lee crouched before leaping into the air.

“Cannonball,” he cried, splashing several shinobi as he landed in the water. When he came back up, he pushed his hair up and gave a large grin.

Kami, he was going to need med-nin to check his blood pressure when this was all over. He turned to see Kiba and Shikamaru giving him a knowing look. Or maybe those two were going to need one if they keep giving him those stupid looks.

* * *

It was dark, the almost full moon hanging low in the sky and Gaara was standing on the beach, in Lee’s spare fish-themed swimsuit with a towel wrapped tightly around his shoulders. He looked back towards in the direction of the encampment and hoping that Lee was coming soon.

Once the tide had begun to recede, everyone had changed back and continued to work on setting in the stones and mixing the sand with concrete and chakra to make one long barrier. They were able to finish one and clean the next one during the tide cycles before work for the day was declared done and the tired and sore shinobi trudged back to their small tents.

Once everyone had eaten, most everyone retired to their tents except for Gaara who had changed and quickly left in the direction of the beach, and Lee, who had been called into Shikamaru’s tent for something.

“Sorry,” called out Lee. Gaara turned around to see Lee jogging towards him, already having changed back into his swimsuit and had some towels in his arms. “Shikamaru…..needed to….to go over some reports, that’s it.”

Gaara narrowed his eyes. Lee was a terrible liar, always has been. The knowing look Shikamaru had given him floated to mind. Ah, that was probably why he had been called into the tent. Shikamaru was currently dating his sister so he was also in on the plot of “trying” to help, forcible though. 

“That’s fine,” Gaara said instead. Unwinding the towel and shivering as the cool night air met his arms and torso. He would deal with his siblings about their meddling, probably when he found enough blackmail material to do so.

A strange strangling noise came from Lee, like that of someone stepped on a mouse. Gaara turned over to see Lee’s face, his blush going over his cheeks, spreading up to his ears and down to his throat. His eyes were going over Gaara’s body, seeming to stop on his shoulders, his back, his butt before tracing his muscles all over again.

Gaara looked anyway as he felt his own face heating up. Gaara hadn’t been the sign of someone’s affection when he had been younger. Since becoming Kazekage, he had heard the whispers from some of his own shinobi talk about him, his power, his appearance but it never really affected him.

Lee, on the other hand, was different. He was **different** , in every way possible. Hearing **Le** e compliment made him happy. Having **Lee** not afraid of him, after what happened in the chunin exam, was freeing. Having **Lee** ogle Gaara made him feel…..desired. The emotions that Lee could invoke in him were frightening and painful but made they made him feel **alive**.

Gaara let his towel drop into the sand and he approached the water. He looked over to see Leee standing there, the towels hanging from his hands.

“Are you teaching me to swim or not?” Gaara asked, raising an eyebrow he was sure Lee couldn’t see. But what he made sure Lee could see was the small smile he had.

Lee’s Adam apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, letting the towels drop from his hands as he followed after Gaara. Gaara continued walking, feeling the world through his feet in the sand. When the sand became packed and wet, the vision became foggy. When his feet met the cold bay water, it disconnected and Gaara couldn’t stop the shiver.

“Told you it was going to be cold,” Lee smirked, his eyes shining with mirth and a teasing smile on his face. He gently took Gaara’s hand and began to pull him into the water. Gaara fought down the fear from the sense of disconnection between him and the sand and focused on Lee and his hand guiding him into the water.

He trusts Lee. He trusted Lee to carry his gourd then. He trusts Lee to not let him drown now.

The water began to gently lap at the top of his foot, half up his calves, past his knees, up to his thighs. When the water went past his hips did he start to panic slightly as he felt the water current push and pull him.

“I have you,” Lee murmured as he grabbed Gaara’s other hand, pulling him closer. “I won’t let go.”

Gaara nodded, his mouth dry despite being surrounded by more water than some citizens of Sunagakure saw their entire lives. Lee pulled him deeper until the water was about waist high and stopped.

“This is deep enough,” Lee said, his voice gentle. “We’ll start with some basics and continue over the next few days. First, let’s try floating on your back.”

Gaara nodded and he let Lee maneuver him, until he was shoulder-deep in the cold water, Lee’s hand hot almost like branding rods. He then went on his back and pushed his feet up until he was floating.

Gaara looked up to see Lee gently smiling done on him and he lost his breath. The moonlight was shining in a way that it highlighted Lee’s eyes, his cheekbones, his lips.

“I’m going to let go, to make sure you’re doing it right. Don’t worry,” Lee said, his hands gently leaving Gaara’s body until he felt it gone, replaced by the cold water.

“Good, looks like you can float. That will make teaching you the swimming strokes easier,” Lee’s hand was on his back and he slowly was raised back up. But Lee didn’t remove his hands from where they were, and Gaara didn’t want him too.

“Gaara?” Lee asked, his face leaning forward closer.

“Yes>” Gaara breathed. He could feel the cold water around him but he didn’t feel the chill.

“Can I kiss you?”

Gaara didn’t say anything as he nodded and he left Lee’s hands trail up his skin, leaving goosebumps until both were on his face. Lee closed his eyes and he leaned forward, moving Gaara’s face slowly until he felt something warm brush against his lips.

Gaara kept his eyes open as Lee pressed their lips more together, shifting them in a way that made jolts of electricity race down his spine. Lee pulled Gaara closer, so that they were chest to chest. Gaara could feel Lee’s heart race as his body heat seem to flood Gaara’s. Gaara couldn’t stop the sigh that escaped his lips as he closed his eyes, letting the feeling of Lee wash over him.

The kiss ended too soon as Lee pulled away, Gaara trying to follow. Lee was breathing as he ran from here to Suna, his warm breath fanning over Gaara’s face while his eyes were glazed and his face red. Gaara licked his lips and he saw Lee track his tongue’s movement; seeing that made a jolt of something hot stab Gaara’s gut.

“How….” Lee’s voice cracked and he tried again. “How about we continue that lesson?”

“Will I get a kiss?” Gaara asked, his voice husky. It had the desired effect of making Lee’s pupils dilate, something heated entering his gaze.

“Maybe,” murmured Lee. “Maybe. But first swimming lessons, then kissing lessons.”

**Author's Note:**

> Let's pretend that when it switches between tides, it much faster than it is in real life. Cause, you know, inside the moon lies the body of the former Ten Tail Jinchūriki. So it has mystical powers. Magic powers that make water move faster.  
> Plus I cannot write kissing scenes. I had to refer back to another fanfic to see how someone wrote it and wing it. :(
> 
> Leave a kudo if you enjoy it. Leave a comment if you have something to say.  
> Bookmark if you think it's good enough to read ;D


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